Switch



Patented Feb. 3, 1942 UNITED-"- SWITCH Arnold A. Bluemle, Anderson, Ind., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application November 20, 1939, Serial No. 305,281

1o Claims.

' This invention relates to improvements in switch and lamp units, and more particularlyto switch and lamp units in which the switch mechanism is controlled by a door.

on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawing 20 designates a metal housing including a front wall 2|, a back wall 22, side walls 23 and 24 and a bottom wall 25. Portions of the metal of the back wall 22 are v(Cl. 173--346) struck out and bent'outwardly to form spaced arcuate projections 26, the wall 22 and each projection being further deformed to provide recesses 21 arranged opposite to each other. The projections 26 form ascoket member to support The plate 36 is pro- The plate 36 is provided with lateral The tubular portion 43 is riveted The plunger 46 includes a An object. of the present invention is to pro- 5 vide a lamp and switch unit that shall be coma lamp 28 having a base including a metal sheath pact and simple in construction which maybe or a sleeve'29. The sheath 29 is connected with readily manufactured and assembled at a low one lead of the lamp filament, the other lead of cost, and which, in use will. prove vellicient and the lamp filament is connected with a contact convenient. These and other objects of the in- 32 located adjacent and insulated from the rear vention are obtainable by providing a switch and end of the sheath 29. The sheath 29 carries pins .lamp unit including a metal socketmember for 30 projecting from the sleeve adapted to be rereceiving a lamp base having a metal sheath conceived by the recess 21' formed in the wall .22 nected with one of the leads of thelamp filament and the projections 26. and an end terminal 'connected with the other A switch unit 35 for controlling the current to lead "of'the filament,- the socket making electhe lamp 28 is located within the housing 20. trical connection with the sheath. A switch com- The switch unit 35 comprises a plate or support prising movable and stationary contacts with a 36 of insulating material. spring located between the end terminal of the vided with an aperture 31 and a notch 38 extendlamp base and the movable contact connects the ing radially from the marginal wall of the aperlamp in a circuit. The spring operates to urge ture 31. the movable contact into engagement with the ears or lugs 39 and a tongue 40. stationary contact and also conduct-current from A stationary contact 4| is fixed to the plate 36. the movable contact to the center terminal of The stationary contact comprises a disc portion the lamp base. A plunger of insulating material 42 engaging the front face of the plate and havcarries the movable contact and operates to seping a tubular shank 43 extending through the arate the contacts to disconnect the lamp from aperture 31. the circuit and compress the spring when a door over on the rear face of the plate 36 to attach of a compartment is closed. When the 'door is firmly the stationary contact to the plate. Opened e Spring exp s to u e the mova e order to prevent rotation. of the stationary concontact and plunger in a direction such that tact 4| with respect to the plate, a radial promov on w ll engage he s ionary jection 44- integral with the disc portion has its contact. free end bent at an angle and located in the ree j s a d ad ntages of the present cess or notch 38. A lead wire 45 is attached to invention will be apparent from the following the disc portion 42, description, reference being had to the accom- Th t b l ti 43 of th t ti p nyin r n wh r a preferred em o itact 4| slidably supports a hollow plunger 46 of ment of the present invention is clearly shown. in ulatin material.

In the drawing 2 reducedportion 41 that is slidable'within the Fig. 1 s an elevatiohal w Showing a a p tubular shank of the stationary contact and an and switch unit assembled in a housing with one enlarged portion 48 to form a shoulder 49 the Wall Of t e ous removedshoulder operating to limit the movement of the F 2 is a Sectional View Showing the Switch plunger in one direction relative to the stationary construction and show e de in s contact. The plunger 46 is counterbored to form cuit op n position an internal shoulder 50. The small diameter of 3 a Sectional View taken on the the counterbore receives a movable tubular con- 33 of tact 5| one end of the contact is provided with Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the lin a radial flange 52 adapted to project beyond the 4-4 of Fig. 2. periphery of the small end of the plunger 46.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken 50 The other end of the tubular contact is riveted over againstthe internal shoulder 50 to maintain the contact 5| assembled with the plunger 46. The radialflange 52 is of such dimension that it will engage the stationary contact 4| and also limit the movement of the plunger 41 in the moved in one direction relative to the movable contact 5| and also to prevent the rod 60 from dropping away from the movable contact 5| when the switch unit is not assembled with the balance of the structure. A spring 64 is disposed between the head BI and the radial flange 52 of the movable contact 5| and has one end abutting the head and the other end abutting the radial flange. The spring operates to press the head 6| against the contact 32 and also to urge the plunger 46 and the radial flange to the right as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2. The spring also operates to conduct current from the movable contact to the head 6 This is irnportant'especi'ally when the. contact engagement between .the rod 62 and the shank of the movable contact is not positive.

The switch unit 35 is attached to the housing by providing the Zhousingbottom wall with an aperture 10 to. receive the tongue ofthe plate 38. The side walls 23 and 24 are p'rovidedwith angular flanges 1 with notches 13 upon which rest the lateral lugs 39 of the plate 36. The notches 13 are formed by striking out portions of the metal in the side walls to form upstanding tangs 15, see Fig. 5. integral with the flange 1|. When the'plate 36 is properly placed within the housing 20,"the tongue 40 will protrude through the aperture 10, the enlarged portion of through a bearing 16 provided on the front wall 2|, and the lugs 39 will fit in their respective notches 13, in the side walls 23 and 24, the tangs T5 are bent downwardly against the top edge of the plate 36, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. Thus the switch unit 35 is securely held within the housing 20 and the plunger 46 will be slidably supported by the bearing I8 and the tubular portion 43 of the stationary contact.

The flanges 1| formed integral with the side the plunger will extend then close the circuit to the lamp 28.

From the foregoing description oi the construction' and the method of assembly of the switch units it is apparent that I have provided a novel The end of the shaft -portion -is and improved switch and lamp unit of simple and compact construction which A can be built economically. My new switch and lamp unit can be built in separate units. Furthermore, by building the separate units, it is possible to use the switch .unit independently to handle other circuits, in which only one push button or actuator is requiredfor'control-of the circuit. This invention -in addition provides a novel switch construction having a plunger operating member slidably n hunted inthestationary contact carrying the "movable contact to engage and disengage the The side walls are provided walls are also provided with apertures Tl through which bolts may passfor securing the housing to a wall, not shown, of a compartment. It is'to be understood that'the housing 20 is to be sup-- ported within the compartment so that the plunger 46 will be in close proximity to and actuated by a door for the compartment, a fragment of the door is indicated by the numeral 89, see Fig. 2.

The operation of the device will be readily understood as follows: Referring to Fig: 1. the switch and lamp unit is shown in its circuit closed position allowing current to flow from battery 8|, lead 45, stationary contact 4|, movable contact 5|, rod 62 or spring 64 orhoth, head 6| center contact 32. the lamp filament, sheath 29, wall 22, and then back to the battery through ground connection 83. When the part 82 is actuated, the plunger and the movable contact 5| pressed, see Fig. 2.

are :moved to the left the spring 64 will be com When this happens the flanged portion 52 of the movable contact will stationary contact. Thus the conductive parts of the switch'are assembled in such a manner that the movable contac can not be accidently lost when the switch structure is not assembled with the balance of'the structure. W

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disc osed. con itutes p ete ed form. his to beunderstood that other forms might be adopted, allcomingwithin the scope of the a ms wm hro efls l im di as ollow f i j 1. A'switeh and lamp holder unit comprising a metal socket member for receiving a lamp base having 'a metal sheath connected with one lead of the lamp; filament and 'an end terminal connected with the. other lead, said socket making electrical connection with the sheath; 9. switch comprising a hollow stationary contact and a hollow movable contact guided by the stationary contact; a rod slidably supported within the movable conta'ct; abutments at eachend oi the rod for retaining the rod in assembled relation with the movable, contact; a coiled spring about the rod, said spring having one end engaging one or the abutments of the rod and the-other end engaging the movable contact, said spring operating to urge the said one abutment of the rod into engagement with the end terminal and the movable contact into engagement with the stationary contact, said spring and rod cooperating to conduct current from the movable contact to the end terminal; and means for actuating the movable contactrelative to the rod to separate the contacts.

2. A switch and lamp holder unit comprising a metal socket member for receiving a lamp base having a. metal sleeve connected with one lead about the rod and disposed between the head of the rod and the movable contact and operating to urge the head into engagement with the end contact of the base and the movable contact into engagement with the stationary contact, said spring and rod also operating to conduct current from the movable contact to the end terminal; and means for actuating the plunger to separate the contacts.

3. A switch and lamp holder unit comprising a metal lroiising having a socket portion formed leadof the lamp filament and'an end terminal connected with the other lead, said. socket .por-

tion; making electrical connection with thea sheath; 'an insulating member fixed within the housing; a tubular stationary contact carried by the insulating member; a. hollow plunger slidably supported by another wall of the housing and the stationary contact; a movable contact carried by. the plunger; a rod slidably supported within theplunger; a coiled spring supported by the rod, said spring having one end engaging the movable con-. tact and operating to urge the movable contact into engagement with-the stationary contact,-said spring and rod operating to conduct. current from the movable contact to the end terminal; and

means foraactuating; the plunger to movethe.

D tending through the opening and being spun over against the plate; a hollow member slidably supported in the shank of the eyelet; a second metal eyelet having a flange engaging one end of the hollow member, the shank of the second eyelet extending into the hollow member and being spun over an internal shoulder provided by the hollow member; a headed rod slidably supported in the second eyelet the shaft of the rod extending beyond the spun over portion of the second mentioned eyelet and beingflared to prevent removal of the rod; and a spring disposed between the head of the rod and the flange of the second mentioned eyelet whereby the head of the rod is urged in one direction and the second mentioned eyelet and the plunger is urged in the opposite direction with the flange of said eyelet engaging the flange of the first mentioned eyelet when the carrier is supported in a fixed relation with respect-to a current consuming device in an electric circuit.

5. A switch comprising in combination: a subassembly including a stationary contact. an actuator, a movable contact and a body for supporting the stationary contact, said stationary contact guiding the actuator and the movable contact into engagement with the stationary contact; means including part of the movable contact for securing the movable contact to the actuator, said movable contact. when secured, maintaining the movable contact, stationary contact and the actuator in the assembled relation with each other: a current consuming device having a terminal; a spring disposed between the terminal and the movable contact and operating to urge the movable contact into engagement with the stationary contact and to conduct current from the movable contact to the terminal; and means for moving the actuator to separate the contacts.

6. A switch comprising in combination; a subassembly including a stationary contact, an actuator, a movable contact and a body for supporting the stationary contact, said stationary contact guiding the actuator and the movable contact into engagement with the stationary contact: means including a portion of the movable contact for securing same to the actuator and for maintaining the movable contact and the actuator in the assembled relation with the stationary contact; a current consuming device having a terminal; a headed conducting stud having one end extending through the movable contact; a spring mounted onthe stud, said spring having one end engaging the head of the stud and the other end engaging the movable contact-to urge the movable contact into engagement with. the

stationary contact,-said spring and stud con-.

ducting current. from the movablecontact to the terminal; and means movingthe actuator mov-- able contact relative to the stud to separate the movable contact from the stationary contact-to open a circuit. v 1.

7; As an article of manufacture,= combined movable and stationary contacts-and a carrier member-forelectric switches, said carrier comprising a body of insulating materialsupporting a tubular stationary contact having oneeend thereof exposed at the front side of the body; .an actuator extending through the stationary contact and having provisions intermediate its ends cooperating with the rear side of the body to limit the movement of the actuator in one direction; a movable contact having lateral extending portions carried by the actuator; means for securing the movable contact to the actuator, said movable contact, whensecured, positioning the lateral extensions in a manner so to limit the movement of the actuator in the other direction: a contact stud slidably mounted in the movable contact; and a spring mounted on the stud, said spring operating, when the carrier is mounted in a fixed relation with respect to a current consuming device, to urge the contact stud in one direction and the movable contact and the actuator in the opposite direction with the lateral extensions of the movable contact engaging the stationary contact.

8. As an article of manufacture, combined movable and stationary contacts and a carrier member for electric switches, said carrier comprising a body of insulating material supporting a tubular stationary contact having one end thereof exposed at the front side of the body; an actuator extending through the stationary contact and having provisions intermediate its ends cooperating with the rear side of the body to limit the movement of the actuator in one direction; a

'movable contact having laterallextending portions carried by the actuator; means for securing the movable contact to the actuator, said movable contact, when secured, positioning the lateral extensions in a manner so to limit the movement of the actuator in the other direction; and a spring carried by the movable contact and operable when carrier is mounted in a fixed relation with respect to a current consuming device to urge the movable contact into engagement withthe stationary contact and to conduct current from the movable contact to the current consuming device.

9. As an article of manufacture, combined movable and stationary contacts and a carrier member for electric switches, said carrier comprising a body of non-conducting material supporting a hollow stationary contact having a radial portion at the front side of the body; an insulating sleeve axially guided by the stationary contact; a tubular contact carried by the sleeve, said sleeve having a radial portion at one end adapted to engage the radial portion of the stationary contact and having provisions atthe other end cooperating with provisions provided by the sleeve for retaining the sleeve in assembled relation with the plunger; a headed member slidably supported in the tubular contact; an

. abutment carried by the headed member at the a fixed relation with respect tea-current consuming device in an electric circuit.

10. Aswitch and lamp holder unit comprising a metal socket member for receiving a lamp base having a metal sleeve connected with one lead of the lamp filament and an end terminal connected with the other lead, 'said socket making electrical connection with the'sleeve: a switch comprising a stationary contact and a movable contact guided by the stationary contact; a conducting member sliclably supported relative to the movable contact: means carried by the conducting member for maintaining the movable contact and the conducting member in assembled relation; a conducting spring having one end electrically connected to one end of the conducting member and having the other end engaging the movabie contact. said spring operating to urge said one end of the conducting member into engagement with the end terminal and the movable contact into engagement with the stationary contact, said conducting spring or conducting memher being capable of conducting current from the movable contact to the end terminal; and means for actuating the movable contact relative to the conducting member to separate the contacts.

ARNOLD A. BLUEMLE. 

